Digestive Holiday Drinks with The Chalkboard Magazine
This Holiday season, let’s take the stress out of indulgence and digestion. Here is a cocktail, spritzer, & a punch to indulge in the celebratory clinks that don’t taste like giving up or a mental kick-in-the-butt so to speak. Inspired equally by craft drinks and cross-culture remedies, these drinks all have plants & herbs that aid in digestion so you can indulge without the bloat. You can learn more about digestive herbs in my upcoming book!
Hibiscus Agua Fresca
Paleo, Refined sugar-free, Vegan
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Hibiscus-Mangosteen powder or 1/4 cup dried hibiscus, found in most Latin American grocery stores
1 vanilla bean, sliced in half lengthwise
¼ cup raw coconut sugar
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
Place the scraped vanilla seeds, hibiscus powder of flowers, coconut sugar, and 2 cups of water into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.
Pour the liquid into a pitcher through a strainer to cool then refrigerate before serving over ice.
PERSIMMON PUNCH (SUJEONGGWA) & PERSIMMON SMASH
These are two variations of persimmon drinks you can make. The punch is a traditional Korean cocktail that is served for the New Year made with dried persimmons while the latter is made with fresh Fuyu persimmons.
PERSIMMON PUNCH (SUJEONGGWA), adapted from Growing Up in a Korean Kitchen
Ingredients
5 cups filtered water
¼ cup raw honey
1-inch piece of fresh ginger sliced
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup rice wine
2 dried persimmons, found in most Asian grocery stores
2 walnuts
Directions
I. Bring the water to boil in a large saucepan along with the ginger and cinnamon sticks.
II. Boil then simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the ginger and cinnamon sticks and take off heat.
III. Pour the infusion into a pitcher and once it has cooled to touch, add the raw honey and rice wine.
IV. Cut the stem of the dried persimmons and place a walnut in the center of each. Place in the the pitcher at least an hour before serving to infuse.
PERSIMMON SMASH
Ingredients
Persimmon Purée
3 Fuyu persimmons, peeled & chopped
1 1/2 cups filtered water
¼ cup raw coconut sugar
Drink
Sparkling water
Juice of 1/2 a lemon & 2 tablespoons persimmon purée
1 oz. Tito's vodka or skip for a non-alcoholic version
Directions
I. First make the persimmon purée by heating the chopped persimmons with the coconut sugar and water to boil. Once boiled, bring down to a simmer and cook for around 20 minutes. Let cool then purée in a high-speed blender.
II. Shake the persimmon puree, lemon juice, and vodka if using with ice. Strain into a serving container & top with sparkling water to your preferred dilution and enjoy responsibly!
CHAI SPRITZER
Ingredients
1 black tea bag
1 star anise
2 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3-inch piece of fresh ginger
6 cardamom pods
½ cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
2 cups apple cider
3 cups sparkling water
Directions
I. Bring the spices, ginger, and coconut sugar or maple syrup with ½ cup of water to a boil in a saucepan. Once boiled, reduce to simmer for 10 minutes.
II. Strain into a container and let cool then refrigerate to chill.
III. Mix the liquid with apple cider and sparkling water. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or star anise to serve
